Automotive glazing and component assembly
An automotive glazing having a mounting strip for mounting a glazing component attached adjacent at least one edge thereof is disclosed. The mounting strip comprises at least one ridge positioned in contact with the glazing such that the majority of the mounting strip is spaced apart from the glazing, forming a cavity. The mounting strip is bonded to a major face of the glazing by an adhesive material in contact with at least a portion of the mounting strip, and positioned such that it does not overlap the edge of the glazing. The ridge, the mounting strip end and the major face of the glazing to which the strip is bonded form a cavity having an open end facing the edge of the glazing, the cavity being dimensioned to receive a portion of said glazing component.
Latest Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH Patents:
The present invention relates to an automotive glazing, in particular, an automotive glazing having a glazing component mounting strip attached adjacent at least one edge.
When an automotive glazing is fitted into a vehicle, such as a car, it is vital that the seal between the glazing and the metal work of the car body is watertight. To help with this, the glazing is usually provided with a flexible gasket along at least one edge, which bears against the opening in the body of the vehicle, forming a seal, as described in EP 0 545 896 B1. However, for a windscreen or a backlight, it may also be necessary to provide additional glazing components, such as a cowling or water-tray along the lower edge of the glazing, where the glazing abuts the vehicle, so that water flowing off the windscreen is directed away from the interior of the vehicle.
A windscreen having a cowling attached along its lower edge is described in EP 1 280 675 B1. A moulded cowling comprising a plastic material, such as polypropylene, strengthened by a bent metal insert is mounted on a major face of the windscreen by means of a support or mounting profile. The mounting profile is glued onto the glazing, and the cowling clipped onto the mounting profile. The cowling is provided with a tray region for containing water that runs down the windscreen when wet, draining it away from the interior of the vehicle. The mounting profile is held in close contact with the edge of the windscreen, forming a waterproof join, by a self-adhesive tape. An adhesive bead is then moulded onto the periphery of the windscreen, overmoulding a portion of the cowling, providing further waterproofing and adhesive strength. Whilst this provides a good waterproof seal and firm bonding between the cowling and the windscreen, the cowling itself is bulky (up to 10 mm in height, typically double the thickness of the glazing to which it is attached), and extends beyond the periphery of the windscreen. This creates problems when transporting and storing the finished windscreen, as fewer parts can be stored and transported on a single rack. Consequently, storage and transportation costs are increased when compared with the windscreen alone.
An alternative manner of attaching a cowling to a glazing is described in DE 199 39 191 B4. A series of short ‘L’-shaped profiles are mounted onto a major face of a laminated glazing using an adhesive, such as a one- or two-component polyurethane adhesive. These profiles are used to attach a cowling or water-tray, having holes to receive wipers, to the lower edge of the windscreen. The cowling clips into the ‘L’-shaped profiles, and abuts the edge of the glazing. When mounted in a vehicle, water runs down the windscreen, into the water-tray, where it drains away. However, this method also suffers from the drawback that even though the glass may be stored with only the numerous ‘L’-shaped profiles attached, this will still require greater storage space and consequential transport costs compared with the glazing alone, as the profiles extend both beyond the periphery of the glazing and a significant distance out of the horizontal plane of the glazing. In addition, the strength of the joint between the ‘L’-shaped profiles and the surface of the glass is determined entirely by the adhesive properties of the polyurethane adhesive. Polyurethane adhesives require significant time to cure fully before reaching their maximum adhesive strength, and therefore the glazing cannot be transported or stored on racks until this curing is complete.
It is therefore desirable to be able to find a way to attach a glazing component, such as a cowling or water tray, or their mounting profiles, to an automotive glazing whilst minimising storage and transportation costs and ensuring that a strong bond between the glazing component and the glazing can be achieved quickly and reliably.
The present invention aims to address these problems by providing an automotive glazing having a mounting strip for mounting a glazing component attached adjacent at least one edge thereof, the mounting strip comprising at least one ridge positioned in contact with the glazing such that the majority of the mounting strip is spaced apart from the glazing, the mounting strip being bonded to a major face of the glazing by an adhesive material in contact with at least a portion of the mounting strip, the mounting strip being positioned such that it does not overlap the edge of the glazing, wherein the ridge, the mounting strip end and the major face of the glazing to which the strip is bonded form a cavity having an open end facing the edge of the glazing, the cavity being dimensioned to receive a portion of said glazing component.
By using a mounting strip that does not extend over the edge of the glazing, transportation costs can be reduced, as a greater number of glazings can be stored in a single rack. By providing a cavity into which a part, such as a retaining strip, of the glazing component, such as a cowling mounting profile, can be inserted, the mounting of the glazing component can be carried out quickly and reliably, with the guarantee of a good waterproof join when the component is fully inserted.
Preferably, the mounting strip comprises first and second ridges, spaced apart to define a channel adapted to receive the adhesive material.
Preferably, the mounting strip remains bonded to the surface of the glazing when subjected to a pull force of at least 100N, when applied at an angle of 90° to the surface of the glazing.
Preferably, the glazing comprises a single mounting strip along at least one edge.
Preferably, the adhesive is one requiring heat and pressure bonded to the mounting strip and the surface of the glazing.
Preferably the mounting strip comprises one of stainless steel or steel having a corrosion-resistant coating thereon.
The mounting strip may comprise at least one cut-out for engaging with a corresponding protrusion on the glazing component. The mounting strip may comprise a means such as a notch for centering the mounting strip on the glazing.
The mounting strip may have an upturned edge, facing in towards the major face of the glazing.
The adhesive and mounting strip may be positioned on the surface of the glazing to form a second cavity for receiving a second glazing component, the second cavity facing away from the edge of the glazing.
The glazing may further comprise a glazing component mounted on the glazing, the glazing component comprising a retaining strip dimensioned to fit and be inserted into the cavity. The retaining strip may comprise one of a plurality of protrusions or a roughened surface in contact with at least one of the glazing or the mounting strip. At least one protrusion may be dimensioned to fit within a cut-out region on the mounting strip. The retaining strip may comprise a metal insert embedded between layers of plastic material. The metal insert may reinforce at least one protrusion on the retaining strip.
Preferably, the glazing component is one of a cowling or water-tray mounting profile, a sealing profile, a dam profile or a spacer profile.
The present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the present invention, it has been appreciated that in order to reduce storage and transportation costs, it is necessary to provide a way of attaching a glazing component such as a cowling or water-tray mounting profile to a glazing which does not require any fittings to extend either beyond the periphery of the glazing, or a significant distance out of the plane of the glazing during the transport of the glazing to the vehicle manufacturer. In the non-limiting example below, the glazing component mounted onto the surface of the glazing is a cowling or water tray mounting profile. The mounting profile holds the cowling in place when the glazing is fitted in a vehicle. Once the mounting strip is mounted on the glazing, the profile may be inserted. The cowling or water tray can then be clipped in or otherwise fixed to the profile. For other components, inserting the profile alone is sufficient, such as for a sealing profile.
The mounting strip 3 is bonded to a major face of the glazing 1 by an adhesive 8. The adhesive is preferably on which when cured, is able to withstand a force applied to the mounting strip 3 of 100N, applied locally, at 90° to the plane of the mounting strip 3, to the free edge of the mounting strip 3. The adhesive should also be able to withstand a push force, applied parallel to the major face of the glazing, of at least 200N, to cope with the insertion of a glazing component during assembly. Suitable adhesives include those which may be autoclaved, such as strips of polyvinyl butyral interlayer material, in which case the mounting strip 3 may be bonded to the glazing 1 during the autoclaving processed used to laminate the plies of glass and interlayer material forming the glazing 1 together.
Once the adhesive 8 used to bond the mounting strip 3 to a major face of the glazing 1 has cured or cooled, the retaining strip 5 of mounting profile 2 may be inserted into the cavity 9, such that the mounting profile 2 abuts the edge of the glazing 1, forming a waterproof seal. The positioning of the adhesive 8 and mounting strip 3, and therefore the first 6a and second 6b ridges, can be altered to take into account tolerances in the shape and size of the mounting profile 2. However, it is not necessary to insert the mounting profile 2 immediately, and the glazing 1 may be stored or transported with only the mounting strip 3 bonded thereto, and the mounting profile 2 fitted subsequently in a factory at or near where the glazing 1 will be fitted into a vehicle. By providing a mounting strip 3 which extends in total only about 3 to 4 mm out of the plane of the glazing, up to 40% more glazings may be stored on a rack compared with glazings having a cowling fitted in a conventional manner, such as that described in EP 1 280 675 B1.
The strength of the bond between the mounting profile 2 and the glazing 1, and the integrity of the waterproof seal can be improved by optimising the design of the retaining strip 5.
In each example shown, the retaining strip 5 comprises a metal insert 4b, having a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to 0.3 mm, embedded between layers of a plastic material each having a thickness of at least about 0.2 mm. Preferably, the retaining strip 5 is less than or equal to 2 mm in thickness, more preferably less than or equal to 1.5 mm in thickness.
Preferably, the mounting strip 3 has a thickness in the range 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and the first 6a and second 6b ridges having a height in the range 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, corresponding to the dimensions of the elongate retaining strip 5 of the mounting profile 2. However, the thickness (and width) of the adhesive 8 should also be such that after bonding, the mounting strip 3 is able to withstand a pull force applied locally at 90° to the plane of the mounting strip at a free edge of the mounting strip 3 of at least 100N, preferably at least 150N, and remain bonded to the surface of the glazing.
Preferably, the adhesives used are those which require heat and pressure to form a strong bond, and therefore can be autoclaved. Such suitable adhesives include laminates of epoxy and acrylic films, for example, adhesives 9270 and 9214 available from 3M. Alternatively, other adhesives, such as two-component adhesives requiring inductive heating, and two-component epoxy resins may be used instead. If PVB is used as an adhesive, a 20 mm wide strip of a 0.76 mm to 1.5 mm thick strip of PVB may bear a local load of about 500N. “Standard PVB” having a constant cross-section or “wedge PVB” having a slightly wedge-shaped cross-section may be used to bond the mounting strip 3 at an angle to the glazing 1. By creating a cavity 9 in which the distance between the mounting strip 3 and the glazing 1 is smaller at the open end of the cavity 9 than at the closed end, additional frictional force is brought to bear on the retaining strip 5, maintaining its position within the cavity 9 during use.
The mounting strip 3 is preferably formed from a metal strip having a thickness in the range 1 mm to 2.5 mm, preferably about 1 mm, comprising a corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel, or a steel strip having a corrosion resistant coating applied all around after cutting to size. The strip may be press bent, rolled or cast, as desired. One advantage of using a metal strip, compared to a plastics strip, as the mounting strip, is that metals such as stainless steel and glass have much closer coefficients of thermal expansion, reducing the chances of thermal shock breakage of the glazing and decreasing the height of the first 6a and second 6b ridges as necessary to compensate the different expansion coefficients of metal, adhesive and glass. The choice of dimensions may also have the beneficial effect of increasing the packing density of glazings for transportation even further. In addition, it may be desirable for different parts of the mounting strip to be formed from different materials, or using different processes. For example, the end portions of each strip may be vehicle specific, and formed from pressed steel, and the central portion generic, and farmed from rolled steel.
Possible configurations of the mounting strip 3 are shown in more detail in
Although the example described above uses the mounting strip 3 to mount a cowling mounting profile 2 onto the edge of a glazing 1, the mounting strip 3 may also be used to mount other glazing components or their mounting profiles onto automotive glazings. Preferably, the glazing component is one of a cowling or water tray mounting profile, a sealing profile, a dam profile (damming the adhesive by which the glazing is fixed to the car body) or a spacer profile (for example, for spacing the glazing from a car body flange). Glazing components provided with a flat extension to form a retaining strip 5 may be inserted into the cavity 9 formed by the mounting strip 3, first 6a and second 6b ridges and the glazing 1.
Claims
1. An automotive glazing made of glass having a mounting strip and a glazing component mounted to the mounting strip adjacent at least one edge of the glazing, the mounting strip comprising at least one ridge positioned in contact with a major face of the glazing such that the majority of the mounting strip is spaced apart from the major face of the glazing, the mounting strip being bonded to the major face of the glazing by an adhesive material in contact with at least a portion of the mounting strip, the mounting strip being positioned such that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the glazing, wherein a cavity having an open end facing the edge of the glazing is formed solely by the ridge, the mounting strip end and the major face of the glazing to which the strip is bonded, wherein the glazing component comprises a retaining strip dimensioned to fit and be inserted into the cavity in contact with both the major face of the glazing and the mounting strip, a portion of the glazing component being flush with a second major face of the glazing opposite the major face of the glazing in contact with the retaining strip, and wherein the mounting strip applies a frictional force to the retaining strip to maintain its position in the cavity.
2. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip comprises first and second ridges, spaced apart to define a channel adapted to receive the adhesive material.
3. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip remains bonded to the surface of the glazing when subjected to a pull force of at least 100N, when applied at an angle of 90° to the surface of the glazing.
4. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the glazing comprises a single mounting strip along at least one edge.
5. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is one requiring heat and pressure bonded to the mounting strip and the surface of the glazing.
6. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip comprises one of stainless steel or steel having a corrosion-resistant coating thereon.
7. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip comprises at least one cut-out for engaging with a corresponding protrusion on the glazing component.
8. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip comprises a means centering the mounting strip on the glazing.
9. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the mounting strip has an upturned edge facing in towards the major face of the glazing.
10. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive and mounting strip are positioned on the surface of the glazing to form a second cavity for receiving a second glazing component, the second cavity facing away from the edge of the glazing.
11. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the retaining strip comprises one of a plurality of protrusions or a roughened surface in contact with at least one of the glazing or the mounting strip.
12. A glazing according to claim 11, wherein at least one protrusion is dimensioned to fit within a cut-out region on the mounting strip.
13. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the retaining strip comprises a metal insert embedded between layers of plastic material.
14. A glazing according to claim 13, where the metal insert reinforces at least one protrusion on the retaining strip.
15. A glazing according to claim 1, wherein the glazing component is one of a cowling or water-tray mounting profile, a sealing profile, a dam profile or a spacer profile.
16. A glazing according to claim 8, wherein the means for centering the mounting strip on the glazing comprises a notch.
17. A laminated automotive windshield comprising at least one ply of glass and having a mounting strip and a water-tray mounting profile mounted to the mounting strip adjacent at least one edge of the laminated automotive windshield, the mounting strip comprising at least one ridge positioned in contact with the laminated automotive windshield such that the majority of the mounting strip is spaced apart from the laminated automotive windshield, the mounting strip being bonded to a major face of the laminated automotive windshield by an adhesive material in contact with at least a portion of the mounting strip, the mounting strip being positioned such that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the laminated automotive windshield, wherein a cavity having an open end facing the edge of the laminated automotive windshield is formed solely by the ridge, the mounting strip end and the major face of the laminated automotive windshield to which the strip is bonded, and wherein the water-tray mounting profile comprises a retaining strip dimensioned to fit and be inserted into the cavity in contact with both the major face of the laminated automotive windshield and the mounting strip, a portion of the water-tray mounting profile being flush with a second major face of the glazing opposite the major face of the glazing in contact with the retaining strip, and
- wherein a portion of the mounting strip having a through hole is in contact with the adhesive material, or the retaining strip is in contact with a portion of the mounting strip defining at least one tooth.
18. A method of attaching a glazing component to an automotive glazing made of glass having a mounting strip attached adjacent at least one edge thereof, the mounting strip comprising at least one ridge positioned in contact with a major face of the glazing such that the majority of the mounting strip is spaced apart from the major face of the glazing, the mounting strip being bonded to the major face of the glazing by an adhesive material in contact with at least a portion of the mounting strip, the mounting strip being positioned such that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the glazing, wherein a cavity having an open end facing the edge of the glazing is formed solely by the ridge, the mounting strip end and the major face of the glazing to which the strip is bonded, the method comprising:
- pre-forming the glazing component; and
- inserting a retaining strip of the pre-formed glazing component into the cavity in contact with both the major face of the glazing and the mounting strip whereby a portion of the pre-formed glazing component is flush with a second major face of the glazing opposite the major face of the glazing in contact with the retaining strip.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mounting strip applies a frictional force to the retaining strip of the glazing component to maintain its position in the cavity.
4571278 | February 18, 1986 | Kunert |
4606159 | August 19, 1986 | Kunert |
4738482 | April 19, 1988 | Bohm et al. |
4888929 | December 26, 1989 | Vaughan et al. |
4891913 | January 9, 1990 | Shimura et al. |
4933032 | June 12, 1990 | Kunert |
4938521 | July 3, 1990 | Kunert |
4956941 | September 18, 1990 | Vaughan |
5456049 | October 10, 1995 | Goto et al. |
5466508 | November 14, 1995 | Brocke et al. |
5551197 | September 3, 1996 | Repp et al. |
5577798 | November 26, 1996 | Ichinohe et al. |
5603546 | February 18, 1997 | Desir, Sr. |
5669657 | September 23, 1997 | Miyazawa |
5779301 | July 14, 1998 | Ito |
5809706 | September 22, 1998 | Neaux |
5851045 | December 22, 1998 | Muramatsu |
6334646 | January 1, 2002 | Oami |
6375254 | April 23, 2002 | Patz |
6769700 | August 3, 2004 | Ortmuller et al. |
7114768 | October 3, 2006 | Aoki et al. |
7156455 | January 2, 2007 | Iimori et al. |
7591117 | September 22, 2009 | Kiriakou |
20010001972 | May 31, 2001 | Soldner |
20010034978 | November 1, 2001 | Iimori et al. |
20030057660 | March 27, 2003 | Ortmuller et al. |
20030090122 | May 15, 2003 | Meizlish |
20050218703 | October 6, 2005 | Aoki et al. |
20060232093 | October 19, 2006 | Boehm et al. |
20100244483 | September 30, 2010 | Erner et al. |
20110047905 | March 3, 2011 | Erner |
2936813 | August 2007 | CN |
4308214 | September 1994 | DE |
19630177 | January 1998 | DE |
10022020 | February 2001 | DE |
199 39 191 | March 2001 | DE |
10017169 | March 2001 | DE |
102005012967 | December 2005 | DE |
10 2005 012 264 | September 2006 | DE |
0 545 896 | October 1994 | EP |
0 859 705 | February 2003 | EP |
1 526 019 | April 2005 | EP |
1 280 675 | March 2006 | EP |
1280675 | March 2006 | EP |
2 857 911 | January 2005 | FR |
1-128413 | September 1989 | JP |
51-85839 | July 1993 | JP |
5185839 | July 1993 | JP |
H05-213072 | August 1993 | JP |
6-297962 | October 1994 | JP |
7-101238 | April 1995 | JP |
8-011550 | January 1996 | JP |
S61-138612 | August 1996 | JP |
9-202142 | August 1997 | JP |
2001-310633 | November 2001 | JP |
2003-532574 | November 2003 | JP |
2005-289318 | October 2005 | JP |
2007203862 | August 2007 | JP |
WO 01/85481 | November 2001 | WO |
- translation of Xu (CN 2936813) provided by espacenet.
- International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued on Jun. 2, 2009, by European Patent Office as the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/EP2009/052910.
- UK Search Report Under Section 17 dated Sep. 7, 2007 issued in the corresponding Great Britain Patent Application No. GB0709316.4.
- UK Search Report Under Section 17 dated Jul. 11, 2008 issued in the corresponding Great Britain Patent Application No. GB0709316.4.
- International Search Report (PCT/IB/304) issued Jan. 12, 2009 in the corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2008/055933.
- Japanese Office Action dated Oct. 23, 2012 issued in the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-507917 and partial English-language summary.
- Chinese Notification of the Second Office Action dated Oct. 19, 2012 issued in the corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 200980108806.X and English language translation.
- English language translation of Japanese Second Official Action dated Feb. 25, 2014 issued in corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-550199.
Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 12, 2009
Date of Patent: Sep 23, 2014
Patent Publication Number: 20110047905
Assignee: Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH (Witten)
Inventor: Wolfgang Erner (Iserlohn)
Primary Examiner: Brian Glessner
Assistant Examiner: Brian D Mattei
Application Number: 12/921,633
International Classification: E04C 2/38 (20060101); B60J 1/02 (20060101); B60J 10/00 (20060101); B60J 10/02 (20060101);